The National Kitchen and Bath Association had a monumental year in 2022. It kicked off with the first in-person Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS) event since 2020. Last year also marked the 60th anniversary of the association and the 10th year since KBIS and the International Builders’ Show (IBS) joined forces to create what is now known as Design and Construction Week (DCW)’s NAHB Builders Show.

While the overall kitchen and bath industry continues to show healthy growth for the year, the overall index is down 4% quarter over quarter as lingering issues caused by the pandemic seem to be catching up to consumer sentiment. Despite this, the industry is coming off of a record-breaking quarter of growth in Q2, which has fueled projections for the year at around 12% growth in sales year-over-year, with many members still encouraged about future growth in 2022.  

The National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) released its annual Design Trends report. The 2022 study, a deep dive into all aspects of both kitchen and primary bathroom design, forecasts the styles, features, materials and innovations expected to be most popular over the next two to three years. The current study finds that the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated consumer interest in and adoption of key trends in their homes such as integration of smart technology, multi-functional spaces and natural and nature-based designs.  

NKBA and NAHB announced the virtual exhibitor booth experience will be postponed after battling with technical difficulties since the show's onset February 9. Scheduled programming and educational sessions will still continue as planned.

Much like every other industry event on the calendar last year, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) decided to move the annual Design & Construction Week — featuring NAHB’s International Builders’ Show (IBS) and NKBA’s Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS) — to a virtual platform due to health and safety concerns and ongoing travel restrictions stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic.